Saturday, August 04, 2012

As a parent, that's supposed to mean you're doing it right. Your children fearlessly walk ahead of you, confident, strong and not afraid of the world. You hold to yourself all the fears and worries and the what if's of the world because it's your job to make them tough.

It's your job to make them ready TO DO IT WITHOUT YOU. Whatever IT is.

If it's possible, I'm simultaneously thrilled and saddened every year as they need me less. Sometimes, I will absolutely burst into tears because the big boy ESPECIALLY will just want to do it himself. Whatever he is doing, he doesn't need me. He's got it. He doesn't need my help. In fact, he's fairly sure I need help most of the time. And he is mostly right.

It's the end of summer now. Monday we send three boys to three different schools in three different towns and they begin that journey away from me again. So I'll savor the moments I can say "OK EVERYONE GO SIT WITH THAT BIG WOODEN FROG!" and they actually do it.